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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 8, 2015 22:22:49 GMT 10
Does anyone do this??? I have a small coal smoker, and a metho fish smoker. Haven't really tried them at all. Once the fish/meat is smoked, how long does it last, and how to store it the best way??? Sausages? ? Any advice is appreciated.
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Post by Peter on Dec 8, 2015 22:46:14 GMT 10
I would always keep smoked foods in a cool/cold environment; a fridge, a cellar, or something similar (depending on your local climate). For example; buy a ham that is preserved with curing in salt and nitrates, then smoked. If you leave it at room temperature it will spoil quickly.
When we look at the history of smoke-preserved foods, we see that most were in cool climates. That said, I'd be interested to know how southern Italians, Spanish and Portuguese (etc) stored their cured, smoked & fermented meats.
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Frank
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Post by Frank on Dec 9, 2015 9:51:13 GMT 10
Out of my realm of knowledge, but interested to hear from anyone that does it. I know with the jerky I make, I wouldn't leave out in warm weather for very long. Its always kept in the fridge and longest has been about 4 weeks, its usually eaten before then
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 18, 2015 12:33:42 GMT 10
Well, my first efforts are over!!
First attempt on a small coal smoker with gum shavings & chicken legs. Well, the smoker has 2 small air holes, and they weren't letting in enough air, so the coals suffocated and went out;
so, I lit up the metho smoker. Legs were so so.
Second attempt was with chicken wings and bloodwood shavings. Cooked to perfection, but the smoked flavour was way too strong ( used too much bloodwood ).
When I get home next week, I'll have another crack at it.
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Post by Peter on Dec 18, 2015 17:20:55 GMT 10
We shoot a goat, dress it (no, not in clothes) then crack the ribcage so that if folds open flat. We squash the carcass between two steel grills (the metal shelves found in old refrigerators), tie the shelves together, then lean them against a star picket placed on the edge of the camp fire. Then we just let the meat slowly roast. That's proper asado - one of the most ancient and most delicious way of cooking a decent sized animal (such as the goat you mention). Argentinians are renowned for their prowess at this technique (and the surrounding social gatherings that share the same name). Tell me, do you also eat the offal cooked in the Argentinian way? That's a real treat.
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Post by Peter on Dec 18, 2015 20:02:59 GMT 10
That's a shame. I encourage you to think about trying simple offal dishes.
Firstly, offal items are delicious. You haven't lived until you've had proper cold lamb brains on toast, or my favourite breakfast - devilled chicken livers.
Secondly, offal items are often highly nutritious.
Thirdly, I have a personal issue with waste. Although I must admit some hypocrisy here as I don't eat the sexual organs of animals (they're too confronting even for me).
And fourthly, knowing how to prepare offal cuts - as some can be easily overcooked - and knowing that you aren't allergic - are potential lifesavers post-crunch when food may not be as plentiful as it is now.
Damn, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 18, 2015 23:34:09 GMT 10
That's a shame. I encourage you to think about trying simple offal dishes. Firstly, offal items are delicious. You haven't lived until you've had proper cold lamb brains on toast, or my favourite breakfast - devilled chicken livers. Secondly, offal items are often highly nutritious. Thirdly, I have a personal issue with waste. Although I must admit some hypocrisy here as I don't eat the sexual organs of animals (they're too confronting even for me). And fourthly, knowing how to prepare offal cuts - as some can be easily overcooked - and knowing that you aren't allergic - are potential lifesavers post-crunch when food may not be as plentiful as it is now. Damn, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. YUK!!
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tyburn
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Post by tyburn on Dec 19, 2015 19:32:52 GMT 10
I was introduced to offal dishes at a young age by my grandparents (who had grown up in the country, lived through the Depression etc and hated waste in any form). I was actually the only grandkid who would eat it, and made my pop happy to have an excuse to buy and cook it. Fastforward a few years and moved to Asia - in the two decades or so I've been in China, I've eaten everything from bees to snake and turtle, as well as such delicacies as duck tongues and pig snouts. I figure that the fact that a lot of people nowadays won't eat offal, bugs, reptiles etc means that if there is an "event" then thats more meat for me and my own.
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Post by Peter on Dec 19, 2015 21:13:19 GMT 10
I was introduced to offal dishes at a young age by my grandparents (who had grown up in the country, lived through the Depression etc and hated waste in any form). I was actually the only grandkid who would eat it, and made my pop happy to have an excuse to buy and cook it. Fastforward a few years and moved to Asia - in the two decades or so I've been in China, I've eaten everything from bees to snake and turtle, as well as such delicacies as duck tongues and pig snouts. I figure that the fact that a lot of people nowadays won't eat offal, bugs, reptiles etc means that if there is an "event" then thats more meat for me and my own. Ah, pig's snout - that perfect compromise between meat and fat. I'm drooling at the thought. I've never had duck tongues, though. I've heard they're delicious. Hopefully the next time I'm in Asia I'll have opportunity to try it. I imagine that most people dislike offal for one or both of two reasons: they're too caught up in the biological function of the organ (which is ironic, as most people will eat pork crackling or chicken skin), or they've only ever had it badly cooked (eg chewy liver). I also imagine that if no other food is available, many people will eat it as "hunger is the best sauce in the world" (Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote).
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Post by thereth on Dec 20, 2015 12:35:59 GMT 10
Sweetbread is my favorite, the pancreas or thymas of lambs or beef. We prefer the beef ones though, stick em on a bbq...yummmmm!
Mind you lambs brain is amazing if you crumb it and fry it. Then serve it with a nice soy sauce or sweet chilli sauce.
Friggin hell, my bellies rumbling now!!
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bilycart
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Post by bilycart on Dec 22, 2015 9:24:05 GMT 10
Don't want to put a damper on the offal party but a little care should be taken with some offal particular the liver, which is where nasty chemicals(from drenching etc.) will collect over time. Only a problem for farmed animals, particularly sheep and goats which are wormed more often. Just something to keep in mind.
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Post by Peter on Dec 22, 2015 10:44:08 GMT 10
Don't want to put a damper on the offal party but a little care should be taken with some offal particular the liver, which is where nasty chemicals(from drenching etc.) will collect over time. Only a problem for farmed animals, particularly sheep and goats which are wormed more often. Just something to keep in mind. A good point, and another reason to know as much about food now while we have information available. Learning by trial & error after the grid goes down is not a wise approach. I wasn't aware of this, so thanks for sharing. It's important also to know what offal can and cannot be eaten - for example, never eat the liver of a carnivore as they sometimes (always?) contain deadly levels of vitamin D.
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